What's So Special about Antioxidants?

Why Are Antioxidants Important To Me?

 by Scarlet S. Paolicchi

Did you know that when we breathe oxygen, it interacts with certain molecules in our bodies to create free radicals and that these free radicals damage important cellular structures such as DNA  and cell membranes? Well, it is true and this damage may cause cells to function poorly and mutate. Free radical damage may lead to disease and aging.

We are exposed to huge amounts of free radicals from pollution, and pesticides. Every time you breathe, you take in millions of free radical molecules created by cigarette smoke, radiation, and automobile emissions. Every time you eat, you consume free radicals in the form of pesticides and preservatives.

This is where antioxidants come in. Our bodies have a natural defense system against these free radicals. Our immune system creates antioxidants which are able to neutralize free radicals and prevent much cellular damage. We also need antioxidants from other sources such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, some meat, poultry and fish.

I bet you may recognize these antioxidants: vitamin E, C and beta carotene (a form of vitamin A. Others include luetin, lycopene, magnesium, and zinc.

And what effects can antioxidants have on the big ?C? word? This is a question that all of us are dying to know since one American in every three living today will get cancer, and one in four will die from it. The National Cancer Institute says, ?Considerable laboratory evidence from chemical, cell culture, and animal studies indicates that antioxidants may slow or possibly prevent the development of cancer. However, information from recent clinical trials is less clear.? Selenium, an antioxidant mineral can help protect against breast cancer. One expert, Dr. Gerhard Schrauzer of the University of California at San Diego, stated, "If every woman in America started taking selenium supplements or had a high-selenium diet, then within a few years the breast cancer rate in this country would drastically decline. And according to a study by Dr. Larry Clark of the University of Arizona, 200 micrograms daily of selenium cut the rate of prostate cancer by 69% and lung cancer by 34%.

So clearly antioxidants are important for all of us to strengthen and protect our immune systems and to help guard against disease. Antioxidants may even help us live longer. The theory is that if free radical damage causes aging, antioxidants in high enough quantities should be able to slow aging. This theory is advanced in one California study of people aged 50 or older, where it was found that those "... with a higher intake of vitamin C were found to have a total death rate only 40% of that for those with the lower intake of C ... This decrease in the death rate corresponds to an increase by eleven years in the length of life." Even small doses of vitamin C can help. According to one UCLA study only 300 milligrams a day can add 6 years to a man's life and two years to a woman's life.

Antioxidants are made naturally by your body but supplementation from food or other sources is needed. The highest concentrations of antioxidants are found in the most deeply or brightly colored fruits and vegetables such as spinach, red bell peppers, raspberries, carrots, apricots, pomegranates, and tomatoes.

Scarlet Paolicchi publishes Healthy Living Newsletter. She is also an independent distributor for Young Living products. You can visit her website at http://www.youngliving.com/scarlet

scarletsinger@hotmail.com